


The Gentleman Leaves... Again.

by Slaymesoftly



Series: The Gentleman Wore Leather [3]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 21:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3426068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaymesoftly/pseuds/Slaymesoftly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The Gentleman Takes His Leave, which was a sequel to The Gentleman Work Leather.  Turns out Spike didn't leave town, Angel still lost his soul, and Buffy hasn't killed him yet because they want to put the soul back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gentleman Leaves... Again.

The Gentleman Wore Leather – 3/22/07  
The Gentleman Takes His Leave – 3/17/14  
The Gentleman Leaves Again.... 2/11/15

 

_Just a reminder that this is a very AU universe by this point, so there will be some events that diverge from canon. A lot. If that bothers you...._

**The Gentleman Leaves Again...**

Buffy turned slowly, extending her, she had to admit, lousy vamp sensing radar. She frowned. There was something familiar, yet different, in the tingle on the back of her neck. It felt... old. She gasped and mentally prepared herself for another battle with Angelus. 

She’d fully accepted her responsibility for the loss of his soul. Even if she hadn’t felt the abrupt change taking place, and seen the anguish in his eyes before he threw himself out the window and away from her, Ms. Calendar’s halting explanation of how a moment of pure happiness would be all it took to break the old spell would have been enough to figure it out. Sex with Buffy had been all it took. Who knew? 

Although she’d done her best to seem inexperienced and virginal – not really all that difficult, given how thoroughly she’d blocked her one short encounter with Spike – she hadn’t been sure Angel didn’t sense... something.

But if he had, it wasn’t enough to keep him from being happy to find Buffy in his bed and willing to give him her nubile young body. Of course, it wasn’t long after he expressed his love and gratitude and happiness, that he began to shake and pulled away from her, barely getting into his pants before vanishing into the night. Bewildered and crying, she’d thrown on her own clothes and run home, grateful that Joyce was already asleep.

Now, several agonizing weeks later, she’d fought him to a standstill more than once, but hadn’t been able to bring herself to stake him. She knew the holding pattern they were in couldn’t last much longer. If Ms. Calendar couldn’t recreate the spell that had given Angelus his soul, Buffy was going to have to destroy him. Already Giles was getting more and more impatient with her reluctance to slay her former boyfriend.

With a sigh, she looked in the direction from which she felt the old vampire vibes and readied herself for another hard fight, which she would try to win without actually making her opponent dust. It was with mixed relief and fear she recognized the platinum head that appeared from behind a tree.

“Spike! What are you doing here?”

He began walking toward her. “It’s St. Valentine’s Day, luv. Thought I’d visit my favorite slayer and give her a gift.”

“Huh?” Buffy couldn’t think of a more coherent response. The last time she’d seen Spike he was refusing to leave Sunnydale and telling her they needed rules. She’d assumed, since she hadn’t seen him again, that he’d left anyway and taken his crazy girlfriend with him. 

He paused out of staking distance and cocked his head at her, which gave her a chance to see that, in spite of his swagger, he looked very tired and discouraged. And more than a little beat up. Without thinking, she stepped closer and reached a hand toward his battered face, stopping before she actually touched him.

“What happened?”

“Pretty sure you already know what happened, Slayer. Your miserable wanker of a lover lost his soul, and your precious ‘Angel’ has left the building.” He shrugged. “Had a little dispute with him last night over who Dru belonged to.”

She recoiled. “You and Angel...us fought over your crazy girlfriend? You... he... she... Did you win? Is Angel—” Her eyes widened in fear, causing Spike to snarl.

“He’s just fine, more’s the pity. Seems like Dru was happier to see her ‘Daddy’ back than I was and she doesn’t want to lose him again. When I started kicking his arse, she got worried and jumped me. Hit me with a crowbar, I think.” He rubbed the back of his head.

Buffy moaned, recovering herself quickly, but not quickly enough. She hadn’t really given much thought to where Angel had gone when he left her, and she hadn’t given much thought to Spike and Dru, assuming they’d left town. She blinked back tears as she pictured Angel and Drusilla together, turning her head away so Spike wouldn’t see. His hand resting lightly on her shoulder brought her spinning around, stake raised, only to find him staring at her with eyes that offered sympathy and shared pain.

“Don’t cry over him, luv. Told you months ago he wasn’t worth it. He doesn’t deserve you. Never did and never will, no matter how many souls he has shoved into him.” 

“Sorry,” Buffy muttered, dropping her arm and her gaze. “I guess I’m a little jumpy.” She tried to ignore way his comments had made her feel momentarily better, opting to pretend she hadn’t heard him. 

“As well you should be,” he replied, falling into step beside her as she resumed her patrol. “I think old grandpa’s demon is pretty brassed off at him for falling in love with you. Either that or being chained up for so long has sent him even more around the bend than he was before the soul. Either way, he’s obsessed with making you suffer.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “I know I have to slay him, Spike. You don’t need to give me more reasons.”

“Not what I was saying, pet. Know you’ll do your duty, don’t I? But he isn’t going to come after _you_. Not right way. He’ll go after the people you care about. Your mum, your watcher, your friends.... He’ll try to drive you mad before he comes for you.... Just like he did my Drusilla,” he added softly.

“I’m not her,” Buffy snarled, even as a chill ran down her back.

“No, you’re made of tougher stuff. You’re a Slayer – and a bloody good one at that. Not as good as you will be in a few years, but one of the best I’ve come up against.” He sighed and shook his head. “But you’re also a young girl, with friends and family. And that makes you vulnerable to his manipulating.” 

Buffy stopped, sinking down with her back against a tombstone, eyes shut and head back, completely unconcerned with his presence.

“So, what do you suggest I do? I can’t be everywhere watching everybody all the time. He’s already been in Willow’s house and left all her fish stuck on pins.”

“Sounds like the big poof,” Spike said, sitting down beside her and leaning against the side of the gravestone, leaving them at right angles to each other while they talked. “Just be grateful it was fish and not your little friend herself.”

Buffy shuddered so hard the stone vibrated enough for Spike to feel it.

“Sorry, luv. But that’s right mild for Angelus.” He turned his head to look at Buffy’s anguished face. “Guess we should be grateful Dru is keeping him so busy,” he said through clenched teeth. “Gives us time to get you ready to take him out.”

“Us?”

“Want to help. If you’ll let me. I know the wanker – in ways neither you nor your watcher and his books do. I know how he thinks, most of his tricks, and how he fights.”

“I know how he fights,” Buffy muttered. “He’s good, but he’s not... “ She peered at Spike from the corners of her eyes. “I don’t think he’s as good as you are. You’re more... creative.” She snorted when he visible sat up straighter. “And I kicked your ass a couple of times, so....”

“You held your own against me because I was having too good a time fighting you to want it to end,” he growled. “That and the fact that I can’t fight with you without popping a—”

“TMI, Spike!” She could feel the blush spreading from her hot face down her neck and hoped he couldn’t see it in the darkness. His rich chuckle told her it was a vain hope. 

“Jus’ sayin’, Slayer. You always have me at a disadvantage. That isn’t going to happen with Angelus. He’s taken whatever feelings he had for you when he was all souled up and twisted them into something.... something else,” he concluded as her eyes filled again.

“He hates me,” she whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest. 

Spike move to kneel in front of her, resting his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look him in the eye.

“He’s brassed off because of what you made him feel. He hates that he could have been so weak.” He gave her a little shake. “Know you think it’s the end of the world that your boyfriend turned out to be a wanker, but he’s not the first man to do that to a sweet girl, and he won’t be the last. Getting between your dimpled knees made him so happy, the soul went walk-about. Good for the demon, not so good for you.”

Buffy made a little grimace of disgust at Spike’s description of what had felt like a wonderful moment to her, when she first felt like Angel was really her lover. She shoved him, knocking him back on his heels.

“My knees aren’t dimpled!” she snapped for anything better to refute what he’d said.

“Know that for myself, don’t I, luv?” he said, his gentle smile taking the sting out of his reminder. “It’s just an expression from back in my day when everyone who was anyone was expected to be pleasingly plump.”

“Fat,” she muttered. “The word you’re looking for is ‘fat’.”

“Tomato, tomahto. Point is, Slayer, you’d have been a beautiful girl then too. And human Liam would have been just as eager to pop your ch—take your virginity.” He cocked his head at her. “I’m guessing that’s what he thought he was doing?”

Buffy shrugged and looked away, blushing. “I dunno. I guess so. I mean, I didn’t _try_ to make him think that, but he didn’t have any reason not to.” Her eyes widened and she brought her frightened gaze back to Spike’s. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

He sighed and shook his head before reaching for her hands. “No, Buffy. I didn’t tell him. Kept my promise to you. Not that it wasn’t tempting to throw it in his face when he was... but I didn’t. Was raised to be a gentleman.” He smiled when she raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “No reason for you to be letting that information out and about. I’ve worked hard to make myself into something else. But old William still raises his poncy head once in a while when he finds a real lady.” He squeezed her hands, then stood up.

Buffy looked up at him. “Are you leaving?”

“Nope,” he said, reaching down and pulling her up to face him. “We’re going to find ourselves a safe place to talk so’s I can tell you the things you need to know to send Angelus to the hell he belongs in.”

“Why?”

“ _Why_? What do you mean why? Because he’s not your bloody boyfriend anymore, Slayer! He’s a cruel, vicious, old vampire who has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. Is any of this ringing a bell?” His coat swirled around him as he spun around in frustration.

“I know that, Spike.” Buffy glared at him, hands on hips. “I meant, why do you want to help me? Speaking of vicious old vampires that have kill thousands of people,” she finished almost under her breath.

He stopped his ranting and stared at her, a small frown creased his brow as he cocked his head and studied her face. He gave a short, disappointed snort and shook his head. “I’m guessing the only reason I should be telling you about is the one you’ll believe....”

“That’d be a good start.”

“Fine.” He started walking, gesturing for Buffy to accompany him. 

“Well?” she prompted when he didn’t say anything. “What reason am I going to believe?”

“I want the woman I love to come back to me,” he said, his voice so soft she wasn’t sure she’d heard him. “And she’s not going to do that as long as her fuckin’ ‘Daddy’ is around. Once you’ve turned him to dust, she’ll have to come back to me. She needs me to take care of her.”

“Oh.” Buffy walked beside him in silence for a few minutes, then stopped. “So, you want me to dust the... man I love... so you can get your cheating girlfriend back? Not seeing the upside for me here, Spike.”

She felt, rather than heard, the snarl he was trying to hide. She put her hand on her stake and waited for his reply. His shoulders rose and fell, and he took a deep breath that ended with a muttered “Bloody hell” as he turned to face her.

“The upside is, you get can shed of a demon that wants to torture you before he kills you, and when you’re through grieving over your dead ‘boyfriend’, you can move on and find yourself a man who will be what you deserve. And I don’t have to worry that I left you here to face Dru and Angelus by yourself.”

His eyes were flashing back and forth between blue and yellow, and his fangs were just visible. But instead of falling into a fighting stance, Buffy put her stake back in her waistband. She waited until Spike had settled back into his human mien before nodding.

“Okay, that’s an upside. Mostly.... But here’s the thing... Ms Calendar is trying to come up with the spell that put the soul into Angelus the first time and if she can do that—”

“You know somebody who thinks she can recreate a Gypsy spell from 100 years ago?” he scoffed.

“Well... that’s the interesting part. Technically, she’s the computer teacher and... maybe Giles’ girlfriend, I guess... I mean, that’s what we all thought she was. But turns out, she’s a Gypsy and her family sent her to Sunnydale to make sure that Angel stayed unhappy. I guess they knew this could happen if he ever had a moment of pure happiness....” Buffy blushed and looked down, surprised when Spike tipped her chin back up and smiled at her. 

“If anyone could give a man a moment of pure happiness, it would be you, luv. Guess those Gypsies didn’t count on him falling for a Slayer.” 

Buffy’s blush deepened at the admiration on his face and she glanced away from him and started walking again. He dropped his hand with a sigh and resumed his place beside her.

“So, this Gypsy thinks she can stick the soul back into him? What happens then? All is forgiven and you two start going steady again?” She flinched at the venom in his voice.

“I don’t... I don’t know. But he... Angel... was trying to make up for the things Angelus did a long time ago, and I guess that’s a good thing? Plus, her family wants him to be miserable again. I think they expected him to be so guilty that he killed himself, but he didn’t do it, so now they kinda like the idea of keeping him unhappy and helping me.”

“So what’s the plan? Stay away from him until she can make him all souled up again? What if he does come after you or one of your friends?”

“I’ll do what I have to do... if it comes to that. But if we can just hold out for a couple more days...”

“He’s not going to give you those days if he has any idea the Gypsy is trying to put that soul back. And with Dru there, you can’t be sure he doesn’t know already. She’s a right good seer, my Dru is. Bit hard to understand sometimes, but she’ll tell him if she sees it.”

“Crap! We forgot Dru was a seer. Giles was thinking if I just patrolled a lot so Angelus couldn’t kill anybody, we’d have time to work on the spell.”

“You can’t be everywhere, luv. They’ve been killing, you just haven’t caught them at it.”

“ _They?_ I thought Dru was sick?”

“She was.” Spike’s teeth were clenched again, as were his fists. “Blood of her sire fixed her right up. She’s as strong as she ever was.”

“Fine. I’ll just have to catch them before they can kill anybody... else.” Her shoulders slumped. “I really thought I....” She shook herself and stood up straighter. “But, okay. I can’t let them run all over Sunnydale killing people just to... to try to get Angel back. I can do this.” 

“You can’t take them both, Buffy.” Spike’s voice was somber but easily audible as they continued walking side by side. “If they’re hunting together—”

“You said I was good,” she growled. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”

“Dru has a strong thrall, pet. She’s not much of a fighter, but she doesn’t need to be. She can immobilize most people just by talking to them.”

“Most people? Even Slayers?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know that she can’t. Some people don’t fall for it. But she’s always had me to take care of those for her.”

“So if she can’t use her thrall on me, she’ll be easy to slay. Then I can concentrate on Angelus. I can do this,” she repeated.

“No, you can’t.” His tone was flat and harsh.

“You don’t know that, Spike. You just said Dru isn’t much of a fighter. Anyway, they might not—”

“You can’t.”

“I can!”

“No,” he said, a snarl in his voice. “You _can’t.”_

“Why not?” She stopped and planted her hands on her hips. He turned to face her, sighing at the expression on her face, but not losing the yellow eyes that had accompanied the snarl.

“Because I won’t let you,” he said. “Wouldn’t let Dru harm you, but I’m not going to let you slay her either.”

“This is your idea of ‘helping me’? Cause I gotta tell you it’s—”

“It’s as good as it’s going to get, Slayer. You don’t patrol without me. If we run into them both, I’ll take Dru out of the picture and you can have at your wanker of an ex. I won’t let her help him, but I won’t let you slay her either. Take it or leave it.”

“Why don’t you just take her away? Leave Angelus to me?”

“That was my plan. Was just gonna give you some pointers about him and take my leave. Didn’t know you were muckin’ about trying to put the soul back. That changes things a bit. Sooner or later, you’re going to run into them out hunting, and I don’t want you facin’ them without my help.”

“I’ve done okay so far,” she muttered, rejecting the warm feeling inspired by his desire to protect her in favor of anger that he was so sure she needed it.

“You have. Could’ve dusted him at least twice already if your feelings hadn’t got in the way... and the hopes of putting his soul back, I guess. Didn’t know about that at the time. Thought you were just being weak...”

“At the time? Have you been watching me?”

He put his hands in his coat pockets and hunched his shoulders. “Maybe? Just in case....”

“What is wrong with you? I’m the... and you’re... and we....” She trailed off, remembering Spike’s surprisingly considerate behavior after he’d tricked her spelled self into having sex with him. And his insistence that they have rules about not trying to kills each other, as if those moments were happy memories that changed everything between them. “You’re as nutty as your girlfriend,” she settled for grumbling at him. “What am I going to do with you?”

“If you’re askin’ for suggestions, luv....”

“Rhetorical question, Spike. Forgot who I was talking to for a minute.”

“Can’t blame a bloke for tryin’,” he said, bumping her shoulder. She snorted, but didn’t give him the giggle she knew he was hoping for. 

“Angelus said I wasn’t worth a second go,” she managed to say without the usual quaver in her voice when she had to use that name. She kept her gaze on the ground, but remained close enough to feel Spike’s arm just brushing hers.

“I’m not him, Buffy. And — not that we don’t both know he was just trying to hurt you by sayin’ that, but just in case you need to hear it — I’d take as many goes as you’d give me, and be grateful for every one of them.”

“Ewww, Spike!” She felt, rather than heard his chuckle. “And... thank you,” she whispered without looking up. He didn’t reply, just gave her arm another gentle nudge.

They walked in silence a little farther, then Buffy said, “So, this help you’re going to give me. When do we start?”

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

“Ha!” 

Buffy’s triumphant shout as she swept Spike’s legs out from under him made them both grin. But when she followed it by throwing herself down and mock-staking him, she found herself pressed against his body, their faces only inches apart. Laughter faded as their gazes met. It took only a second for Buffy to become conscious of what she already knew was Spike’s usual reaction to fighting with her. 

She watched his eyes darken with desire and felt his arms go around her in a tentative embrace. In spite of giving herself strict instructions, _Get off the sexy vampire, Buffy. Right now!_ she melted into the hard-muscled body beneath her and lowered her mouth to the one already reaching for it.

 _Nothing this wrong should feel this good,_ she moaned silently as she lost herself in the kisses she remembered so well from months ago. They alternated kisses that were soft and tender with frantic ones that made it clear they both understood their time to indulge themselves in each other was limited. So lost were they in relearning how strong was the attraction between them, that it took a full second for the approaching bloodcurdling snarls to reach their distracted brains.

As one, they rolled apart and to their feet, Buffy already holding her stake while Spike placed himself to her left. As quick as they’d been, they still found themselves facing, not just a small group of vampires, but a furious Angelus and Drusilla behind the minions, safely out of reach.

“Spike. You have been a bad doggie,” Dru snarled. “You will have to be punished.”

“Fair’s fair, pet,” he growled back, smirking as she blinked her surprise at his attitude.

“Still taking my sloppy seconds, are ye, William?” Angelus sneered his contempt, but he couldn’t hide his fury. “We’ll ‘talk’ about that when we get you home.”

Spike opened his mouth to reply, then glanced sideways at Buffy who had visibly flinched at the words. He raised his eyebrow in question, nodding when her eyes pleaded with him. 

“As you wish, love,” he said, ignoring the frowns on his sire and grandsire’s puzzled faces. “But you know the wanker deserves to hear it.” He shrugged. “Alright then, which ones do you want?”

Spike and Buffy had been sparring with each other almost every night since he’d come to her with his offer of help, and they gave themselves the time and space to do so by first cleaning out whatever cemetery they were working in that night. As a result, they’d become frighteningly efficient at working together to kill anything in their way, and now needed no words to communicate as they silently agreed to take out the minions before worrying about Angelus and Dru. They split right and left, dusting two of the five minions before the others even realized they were being attacked. In spite of Angelus’s exhortations to “catch them, but don’t kill them” and Dru’s little squeals of anticipation, Spike and Buffy disposed of the remaining three vampires almost as quickly. They high-fived each other, then turned to face Angelus and Drusilla.

The only sounds in the empty graveyard were Buffy’s light breathing and Dru’s whimpers. Suddenly her whimpering gave way to wails of grief and anger.

“The Slayer wants my sweet William. Stop her, Angelus. Make her stop. She can’t have him!”

“Don’t be stupid, Dru,” Angelus sneered, still well out of reach. “She doesn’t want your toy. She just thinks it will make me jealous. The little bitch is as much in love with her precious ‘Angel’ as she ever was.”

“That right, Slayer?” Spike asked, moving closer to her. “You still in love with that—”

“Nooooo!” Before Spike could finish his question, or Buffy could answer it, Dru threw herself at Angelus, crying and shrieking about “Nasty Gypsy, wants to take my daddy away again. No. You have to stop her.” Angelus held her at arm’s length and shook her.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Dru? What Gypsies? Nobody’s taking me any—” He turned his yellow gaze on Buffy. “What does she mean? Are you trying to.... No! I’ll kill you first!” Flinging Dru to the ground, he leapt at Buffy, catching her enough by surprise that she didn’t get her stake up in time and had to settle for slipping to the side and out of his reach. 

Spike shot his foot out as Angelus went by, sending him off balance and staggering away from Buffy. He then caught Drusilla just as she regained her feet and tried to throw herself at Buffy. Hanging on tightly to the shrieking, clawing vampire, he pulled her away from where Buffy and Angel were squaring off against each other. 

“Goddammit, Dru! Settle down.” He tried in vain to get her to stop clawing at his face and screaming about Buffy trying to take both her “pretty boys” away. With a final “I’m sorry, princess” he clocked her on the chin, knocking her out. He dropped her to the ground and stepped up to Buffy’s side again. 

Angelus looked back and forth between Spike and Buffy, correctly reading that if he attacked, he would be fighting both of them.

“We’ll finish this some other time, Buff,” he said. “After I take care of that meddling Gypsy.” Before she could react, he whirled and disappeared into the darkness.

“I’ve got to go warn Ms. Calendar,” Buffy said. She gestured to Dru who was just beginning to stir. “What are we going to do about her?”

Standing where he could reach Drusilla if he needed to, he stared at Buffy, his unhappy expression saying everything he was thinking. He flinched when her own expressive face told him she’d read his intention in his eyes. Somewhat unnecessarily, he explained anyway.

“Think this might be a good time for me to get out of Dodge, Slayer. If Dru’s not here, you won’t need me to help you with the great poof – especially if someone puts the soul back. I should just take her and go.” In spite of his words, he made no attempt leave, standing with his hands hanging at his sides as he held her gaze.

“You’re just going to go? Just like that?” Buffy knew she sounded whiny, but she couldn’t control the flood of disappointment she felt knowing she would no longer have his company every night.

“ ‘Jus’ like that’ seems like the best plan, love. You’re more than capable of beating that wanker to a pulp now. And you know enough about his tricks to keep yourself and your loved ones safe until you do it. No sense dragging out the good-byes. Don’t need me anymore, do you?” Buffy told herself she was imagining the trace of hope she heard in his voice.

“I... I guess not.” She raised her chin and swallowed hard. “You’re right. You should just.... go. I mean, you’ve got your... her....” She pointed at Drusilla. “And I’ve got to... to....”

“You’ve got to go find your Gypsy and keep her safe,” he said gently. “As soon as she shoves a soul back into Angelus — or you dust the wanker —” His expression made it obvious what his choice would be. He sighed and shook his head. “We’ll just go. Two less vampires for you to worry yourself about, yeah?”

“Yeah. Two less. That’s a good thing. I don’t....” She trailed off and watched as he bent down and picked Dru up, throwing her over his shoulder. 

“You take care of yourself, love,” he said gruffly, not meeting her eyes .

“You too, Spike. Don’t get dusty.” She raised one hand in farewell, biting her lip and blinking rapidly. 

She watched him stride off into the night, hesitating when he got just to the end of her field of vision and turning around to blow her a kiss. He was gone before she had a chance to show him that she’d caught the kiss and brought it to lips. 

“Good-bye, Spike,” she whispered as she turned away. She began to run, anxious to report to Giles that Angelus knew they were trying to resoul him, and trying to outrun the empty feeling of not having Spike running by her side and snarking at her.


End file.
